Tamenglong, October 02 2010: As elsewhere Gandhi Jayanti in Tamenglong also observed the day as 'cleanliness day' and social work was organised in various places including institutions and government offices.

Significantly Gandhi Jayanti was observed by the Naga Solidarity Group, NSG Tamenglong in the Town Baptist Church Complex this afternoon.

The programme was held in the back drop of the Naga people pursuing for an honourable and peaceful settlement of the Indo- Naga political issue under the theme of 'what the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi says, India does'.

A banner and poster campaign was launched in the function by Tunduiyang Gonmei, a social worker.

Speaking on the occasion social worker Guitiang Pamei, said that it was very clear that the Nagas were never defeated or conquered by India.

It was British colonial power who defeated the Nagas and administered their areas handing them over to Indian authority to be an integral part of India.

He narrated a brief history of Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy and his ideology.

He said it is the British who betrayed the Nagas, adding that if Gandhi were still alive the Nagas political issue might have been settled.

According to Guitiang Pamei, just before India's independence Mahatma Gandhi visited every part of India with the aim to form one single administration but he never visited Nagaland, adding that he visited Assam four times.

Just before the partition a nine member Naga team met Mahatma Gandhi who said "Nagas have every right to be Independent.

We did not want to live under the domination of the British and they are now leaving us.

I want you to feel that India is yours.

I feel that the Naga Hills are mine as much as they are yours, but if you say, it is mine', then the matter must stop there.

I believe in the brotherhood of man, but I do not believe in forced unions.

If you do not wish to join the Union of India, nobody will force you to do that.

The Congress government will not do that'.

Mahatma Gandhi said this in the Bhangi Colony in New Delhi on 19 July 1947, he said.

As many as 50 to 60 men and women participated in he first ever programme organised by Naga Solidarity Group.

The spokesman urged the young stars to develop nationalism as did the father of the nation.

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